Weirton man pleads guilty to illegal possession of a firearm

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jerod Kernen, 32, of Weirton, West Virginia, pled guilty to illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced.

Kernen, who had previously been convicted of felony offenses in South Carolina, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. He admitted to possessing a .44 caliber revolver in Hancock County, West Virginia in August 2016.

Kernen pled guilty to one count of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.” He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Weirton Police Department, and the Steubenville Police Department investigated.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.